[SCAN] Genetic regulation of cork oak productivity and adaptation to drought: looking beyond the cork layer

Title: Genetic regulation of cork oak productivity and adaptation to drought: looking beyond the cork layer

Speaker: Pedro Barros

From: Plant Functional Genomics Lab, ITQB NOVA

Abstract: "Quercus suber" (cork oak) is a token of Portuguese identity and economy, as well as a fine example of a sustainably exploited forest resource. Currently, the cork sector urges the development of efficient silvicultural practices to maximize cork production and mitigate the effects of recurrent drought events. However, fundamental knowledge on the genetic and environmental regulation of cork development is still scarce.

In the Plant Funcional Genomics Lab we aim to find and characterize key gene regulatory modules that act in the crosstalk between cork development and drought adaptation. Since trees live on a different scale compared to other plants, we have been exploring novel approaches to overcome specific challenges such as slow growth and limited sample availability.

Using histochemical and molecular tools, we first studied the potential of cork oak roots, as a fast-growing organ, to be used as a proxy for examining the impact of environmental stress on cork development. To extend this research to stems, the organ most commonly targeted for sustainable cork production, we studied plants exposed to contrasting watering regimes. Following a tissue-specific approach, we analyzed the transcriptional changes imposed by water deficit in cork, inner bark, and wood, and combined these with publicly available data to perform gene co-expression analysis and predict functional gene interactions.

Using DNA affinity purification (DAP-seq), we are currently confirming the interactions between transcription factors and target genes and defining regulatory networks that drive cork development in response to drought.

We have also been contributing to the ELIXIR infrastructure (through Biodata.pt), the European organization that brings together life science data resources from across Europe. In this talk, I will also provide a brief overview of how your research can benefit from this infrastructure, for advanced data analysis and management.